Gmax for Dummies

  • Thread starter MustangNightFighter
  • Start date
Milton,

If you ever find the time, thickheaded rockheads like me would really be able to benefit from a video tutorial on how to properly create a cal box. Also, how to create and size your drawings for the cal box would be great. I know you explain it in your C162 tutorial but I just cannot seem to be able to grasp it. I found your video tutorials helped me immensely in grasping some of the things I couldn't figure out from the written tutorials. It could be that some people like me are not meant to be able to use gmax.

Thanks,

John

Milton Shupe said:
Using any good overview introduction like the link posted by LZ, things fall into place quickly when learning gmax.

I guess it's like building a house, you must really prepare the ground and do a nice foundation before starting the framing and closing in. There are no shortcuts to anything worthwhile and complex.

I did a series of basic easy-to-use tutorials that seemed to work for those who otherwise had trouble here: http://www.flightsimonline.com/C162/

This was presented graphically step by step as the aircraft was being built. Unfortunately the original thread got lost in the SOH DB crash but all the tutes were preserved on my site.

I also did a basic gmax introduction done as a video tutorial.

Basic GMax Video Introduction:

Download the zip of the .avi file to play:
http://www.flightsimonline.com/C162/...basicintro.zip
Click to expand...
 
Finn Neiuk did an excellent video tutorial that walks you through the process from preparing the 3-views to finishing the calibration box.

Try this one called Backdrops and if it doesn't help, I will do a similar one.

Backdrops

EDIT: I have also updated the website to point to this video tutorial. The .avi file requires a Camtasia Codex plug-in (link available on the website or Goggle it).
 
polecat0942 said:
If you ever find the time, thickheaded rockheads like me would really be able to benefit from a video tutorial on how to properly create a cal box. Also, how to create and size your drawings for the cal box would be great. I know you explain it in your C162 tutorial but I just cannot seem to be able to grasp it. I found your video tutorials helped me immensely in grasping some of the things I couldn't figure out from the written tutorials. It could be that some people like me are not meant to be able to use gmax.
Click to expand...

I disagree. Anybody can use gmax. It just takes a little planning on the user's part, to get the results you want.

In reality, first thing that MUST be done, is correctly setting up gmax. Then, understanding the basic workings of the program, basic 3-D modeling, and how to get the parts and pieces you need created.

A lot of talk on cal boxes. Keep an open mind, and use what works for you best...and easiest.

I don't use 'cal boxes'. I usually work up a good set of 3-view drawings, ones I believe are accurate and correct, with enough detailing to work off of. Of course, that's just basic. Keeping all three views scaled the same helps.

In gmax, with a new file opened, I create a 'Plane', and texture it with the top view. Wingspan for a/c is usually very easily found, which gives you a good scaling measurement to use.
Then I'll add a 'Ruler', the wingspan length, and re-size the top view Plane, until the drawings wingspan matches the Ruler's measurement. That sizes the top view. Fairly basic.

Then...simply 'Clone' the top view Plane, and change it to the side view drawing. Arrange it in the 3-D world, and set for the fuselage length. Once the drawing Planes are sized, I simply move them into plane in gmax, and go from there.

All of it can, and will, be tedious work, once you start building. But, it's also satisfying, too...the creating something from nothing.
 
Thank you gentlemen for your responses and sorry it took me so long to respond. Thanks to Milton's tutorials and the tutorials that come with gmax I feel relatively comfortable using gmax to create things. The biggest problem I found, and couldn't comprehend, was the creation of a template/calbox to start with. I used to try using the method that was given in the p38 creation portion of the gmax tutorial but found that to be a VERY difficult way to even attempt things seeing how things would go all goofy after I saved my work and came back to it another day. I will definitely look at the files you provided Milton and hopefully I'll have some sort of personal breakthrough. Crossing my fingers. And again thank you both for your replies, patience, and guidance.

Cheers,

John

Milton Shupe said:
Finn Neiuk did an excellent video tutorial that walks you through the process from preparing the 3-views to finishing the calibration box.

Try this one called Backdrops and if it doesn't help, I will do a similar one.

Backdrops

EDIT: I have also updated the website to point to this video tutorial. The .avi file requires a Camtasia Codex plug-in (link available on the website or Goggle it).
Click to expand...

crossram said:
I disagree. Anybody can use gmax. It just takes a little planning on the user's part, to get the results you want.

In reality, first thing that MUST be done, is correctly setting up gmax. Then, understanding the basic workings of the program, basic 3-D modeling, and how to get the parts and pieces you need created.

A lot of talk on cal boxes. Keep an open mind, and use what works for you best...and easiest.

I don't use 'cal boxes'. I usually work up a good set of 3-view drawings, ones I believe are accurate and correct, with enough detailing to work off of. Of course, that's just basic. Keeping all three views scaled the same helps.

In gmax, with a new file opened, I create a 'Plane', and texture it with the top view. Wingspan for a/c is usually very easily found, which gives you a good scaling measurement to use.
Then I'll add a 'Ruler', the wingspan length, and re-size the top view Plane, until the drawings wingspan matches the Ruler's measurement. That sizes the top view. Fairly basic.

Then...simply 'Clone' the top view Plane, and change it to the side view drawing. Arrange it in the 3-D world, and set for the fuselage length. Once the drawing Planes are sized, I simply move them into plane in gmax, and go from there.

All of it can, and will, be tedious work, once you start building. But, it's also satisfying, too...the creating something from nothing.
Click to expand...
 
Go for it!

And start in gmax with an open mind.
Once you start, you'll find there are several different ways to do the same thing using gmax (or other modeling programs). Number one rule is make it easy on yourself. One person's way of doing things, doesn't make it right for you. Find the methods that are easiest for you, and go that way.

Once you get a feel for using the program, the 3D world can really expand, and it's all up to your creativeness.
 
Its not too bad for making aircraft and things, there are plenty tuts out there, the things that i found hard was trying to do the LODs, and the damage, and what i am trying to figure out now is how to do the s.dds and r.dds.there does not seem to be many tuts for these sort of things, but i think i will get there in the end.
 
jaycee said:
...the things that i found hard was trying to do the LODs, and the damage, and what i am trying to figure out now is how to do the s.dds and r.dds.there does not seem to be many tuts for these sort of things, but i think i will get there in the end.
Click to expand...

With the current absence of Netwings (their design forum is especially good) you could ask at the Aircraft Design & Animation forum here at SOH.

What I've found helpful with LODs is to add a feature to the model, like a coloured sphere, set to one side of the aircraft. The same sphere is cloned to all the LODs, linked to each LOD's top node, but coloured differently: I used the rainbow sequence of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet to signal LOD_100, LOD_90, LOD_75, LOD_50, LOD_25 and LOD_10. The pic shows LOD_100 and LOD_75.

As you zoom out from your model on the runway (Spot View works well) you will see the sphere change colour as each LOD switches in and you can quickly assess which features to simplify, or omit, for that LOD. You will also see the model 'jump' if one LOD is mis-aligned with the others. It's pretty cool in combat - do you open fire when you get really close or hose from a distance? It's easy to remove the spheres when you're done without trashing your model.

From my own experimenting with this, I found that setting Aircraft Detail below 3 in CFS3config means you will never see better than LOD_90 in the sim!

Thanks to bzhyoyo for that one! :icon29:

lodtool.jpg
 
Gmax for buildings in CFS3

I searched the SDK for buildings, but there's only planes and vehicles?

Cees
 
I searched the SDK for buildings, but there's only planes and vehicles?
Click to expand...

think its on page 12 of the aircraft and vehicle sdk. not too much there. i can send you an old gmax building model if it helps. I think Clive is more knowledgeable on this subject.
 
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